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Many people believe that the Los Angeles Rams are positioning themselves to select one of the premier quarterback prospects in the 2024 NFL draft. While Caleb Williams and Drake Maye were already off of the board, Pro Football Network’s Ian Cummings has the Rams adding Alabama cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry with the 10th overall pick in next year’s draft.
It should be noted that Cummings believes the Rams won’t be bad enough to pick within the top five next year, which could put them out of range of either Williams or Maye. Earlier this offseason, Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar had the Rams taking Florida State edge rusher Jared Verse at pick No. 9 and Draft Wire’s Curt Popejoy had them grabbing Maye with the sixth overall pick.
After trading All-Pro Jalen Ramsey this offseason, the Rams could certainly use help at the cornerback position. Cobie Durant figures to carve out a prominent role in his second year in 2023, while rookie Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson could become the team’s slot cornerback.
Aside from those two guys, it remains to be seen who emerges as potential long-term fixtures in the secondary. Selecting McKinstry does make sense for the Rams, especially with the NFL becoming a pass-centric league.
McKinstry is entering his third season at Alabama and he’s expected to be one of the best cornerback prospects in the 2024 NFL draft. The talented cornerback for the Crimson Tide is coming off a 2022 campaign in which he tallied 35 tackles, 15 pass breakups, and an interception.
In just two years at Alabama, McKinstry has shown that he has the tools to develop into a premier cornerback at the next level — and it doesn’t hurt that he has a cool name. Even though some fans are expecting a quarterback to be announced with the Rams’ first-round pick next year, they could set their sights on bolstering the backend of the defense.
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